Electric-switch handle.



J. G. PETERSON.

- ELECTRIC SWITCH HANDLE. APPLICATION I'ILED AUG. 31, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

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A E OFFICE:

JOHANN e. PETERSON, or HARTFORR'CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO'THEKRRQW L C- TRIC COMPANY, 0E HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION CE CONNECTICUT..

ELECTniC-swITCIi HANDLE.

Specification of Iletters Patent. Patented Apr. 1910- Applicationfiled Aughst 31, 1905).- Serial No. 515.411.

T 0 all whom it may concern. 7

Be it known that I, J oIIAN GODFREY PETERSON, a citizen .ofthe United States, residing at Hartford. in the county of Hart ford and State of Connecticut, have invented a 'new and useful Improvement in Electric- Switch Handles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those turn but-,

toi handles for rotary snap electric switches firmly in position, regardless of variations in the lengths of the spindles, or of inaccuracies in the dimensions of the porcelain bases or other partsof the switches.

The object of this invention is the production'of a handle of this nature which is very'simple, cheap and strong.

This invention is particularly applicable to the construction of turn button handles which are made of porcelain, glass, or other a handle, although the invention may be utilized in constructing handles of other materials.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings .shows a section of a handle which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 is a view looking at the underside of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows .a plan of the thrust plate- Fig. 4 shows a section of the handle with a modified'form of thrust plate.

The body 1 of the handle, which may be made of porcelain, glass or any other substance, in any desired design and required size, has a cylindrical socket 2 opening into it from the underside. Extendinglaterally from this cylindrical socket. desirably in line with the width of the handle are grooves 3. These grooves are deeper in the body of the handle than they are near the mouth of the socket, so that shoulders at are formed a short distance in from the bottom edge of the body. The stem 5, which is designedto be screwed onto the actuating spindle of the switch, has a head 6 at its inner end, which .when the handle is turned. Surrounding 'the stem beneath the 1195a is a spiral spring 8. This spring thrusts between the head of the stem and a thrust plate 9 which is located in-"the socket in the handle. The thrust plate has an opening 10 slightly longer in diameter than the spindle, and outwardly pro -jecting lugs 11 that rest upon the shoulders.

4 so that the thrust plate cannot be forced by the'spring out of the opening in thehandle. The stem head lugs 7 are of such size that they readily ass through the grooves at the mouth of the socket when the. stem and spring are inserted therein. The thrust plate 9 with its lugs 11 is longer than the width of the opening from the bottoin of one groove to the bottom of the other groove at the mouth of the'socket. In order to put the thrust plate in position, it is slipped upon the stem and turned obliquely with relation thereto. the opening 10 in the plate permitting, suflicie'ntly for one end to be, inserted beyond the shoulder 4 on one side. The plate is then pushed in, against the spring, in this oblique position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, until the other end is beyond the other shoulder 4. When beyond the shoulders, the plate is released and then the spring thrusts and holds the plate with the ends of the lugs against both shoulders. \Vith'the parts in th1s position,

none of them will become displaced, and

while the handle will turn the stem and attached switch spindle, the handle has a movement longitudinally of the stem ,and spindle in order to permit it to adjust itself to cover or face plate .ofthe switch.

If for any purpose, it is desired to remove the stem from the handle, the thrust plate, by a suitabletool, maybe pushed in on one end until itis sufliciently oblique, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, to release one end from the shoulder it bears against. The plate is then allowed to spring out until the other end is free from its shoulder 4.

The handle shown in Fig. 4 is exactly like that shown in Fig. 1, except that the lugs 12 of the thrust plate 13 are ofisetfrom the plane of the plate so that the plate will be a little lower on the stem, and there will be more .pace between the plate and the stem head for the spring.

This handle can be cheaply made and easily assembled. There are few parts and the structure particularl advantageous for the construction of han es of porcelain or the like, which during the process of manufacture are subjected to such heat that metal pieces cannot readily be molded therein, and

which so change their size and form when cooling that great accuracy cannot be obtained; This constructioupermits the production of a porcelain handle without any opening in the top, which is a marked advantage.

The invention claimed is: 1. A switch handle having a body of insulatin material with a socket opening into the 100 y from the bottom edge, said body being so formed that the socket is of greater diameter in the interior of the body than at its mouth, a stem having a head movable Within the socket, a plate loose in the socket, said plate having a greater diameter than the diameter of the mouth of the socket, and

a spring thrusting between the stem head and the plate.

2. A switch sulating material with a cylindrical socket opening from the bottom edge, and grooves extending outwardly from the socket, said body being so formed that the groovesare deeper in the interior than they are at the mouth of the socket, so as to form integral shoulders near the mouth, a stem having a head movable in the socket, lugs projecting from the head into the grooves,.a plate in the socket said plate having lugs projecting into the grooves, which lugs extend out- Wardl from the plate and rest upon the shoul ers, and a sprin thrusting between the stem head and the p ate.

. JOHANN e. PETERSON.

JosnrnmnM. STREMPFER.

handle having a body of in- 

